Reinforced compressible fluid transporting tube

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION IS DIRECTED TO AN ARCUATE COMPRESSIBLE FLUID TRANSPORTING TUBE HAVING A REINFORCING RIB ATTACHED ON ONE SIDE WITH A CHAIN EMBEDDED THEREIN AND ESPECIALLY ADAPTED AS A PART OF AN INFUSION PUMP HAVING IMPELLER ROLLERS TO DRIVE FLUID THROUGH THE TUBE.

Feb. 23, 1971 w MULLER 3,565,554

REINFORCED COMPRESSIBLE FLUID TRANSPORTING TUBE Filed Aug. 26, 1969INVENTOR WOLF F. MULLER AT TORNEV FIG. 3

United States Patent 3,565,554 REINFORCED COMPRESSIBLE FLUID TRANSPORTING TUBE Wolf F. Muller, Southampton, N.Y., assignor to United StatesCatheter & Instrument Corporation, Glens Falls,

N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 26, 1969, Ser. No. 855,459Int. Cl. F04b 43/12 US. Cl. 417-477 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis invention is directed to an arcuate compressible fluid transportingtube having a reinforcing rib attached on one side with a chain embeddedtherein and especially adapted as a part of an infusion pump havingimpeller rollers to drive fluid through the tube.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fluid pumps ofthe compressed tube type and particularly seeks to provide a novel fluidtransporting tube therefor.

In my Pat. 3,384,080, granted May 21, 1968, there is disclosed andclaimed a portable self-contained infusion device employing a mechanicalclock-driven fluid pump of the type to which this invention generallyrelates.

Such pumps usually employ a rotary element provided around its peripherywith a plurality of impeller rollers which are successively brought intocompressing engagement with a fluid carrying or transporting tubesupported by a base or anvil containing an arcuate portion concentricwith the path of travel of the rollers.

When these types of pumps are employed in infusion systems for injectingliquid chemo-therapeutic agents into a living body at a low volumetricrate over prolonged periods of time, it is essential that thecompressible fluid transporting tube be restrained against bodily axialmovement and against either axial compression or elongation in order toassure proper and accurate operation of the pump.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a novel fluidtransporting tube which is capable of being maintained in operativeposition with respect to the compression rollers of a pump withoutbecoming axially distorted or displaced as a result of prolongedoperation of the pump.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tube of the characterstated which includes an internally reinforced, radially projecting,longitudinally extending, clamping or attaching rib.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tube of the characterstated in which the rib reinforcement is a flexible element made from amaterial less compressible than the material of the tube.

With these and other objects, the nature of the invention will be morefully understood by reference to the drawings, the accompanying detaileddescription and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the arcuate base or anvil of a compressibletube fluid pump with the fluid transporting tube of this inventionclamped in operative position, the impeller rollers and their supportingrotor being schematically indicated;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a fluid transporting tube constructed inaccordance with this invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

3,565,554 Patented Feb. 23, 1971 Referring to the drawings in detail,the invention as illustrated is embodied in a tube 5, formed from anysuitable plastic or soft material, e.g., silicone rubber, compatiblewith the fluid to be pumped, provided at one end 6 with a thickened wallportion for connection to a fluid supply and provided at its other end 7with a similarly thickened wall portion for connection with a catheteror other receiver.

The tube end 7 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel transversefins 8, 8 which define a grommet for retaining that end of the tube inits proper position within the supporting structure of the pump.

A radially projecting longitudinally extending clamping or attaching rib9 is formed on the outside of the tube 5 and is provided with anenlarged abutment 10 at the end corresponding to the fluid intake end ofthe tube.

An internal reinforcing element 11 extends along the full length of therib 9 and is molded integral therewith. In the illustrated embodiment ofthe invention the reinforcing element 11 is a metal chain which preventsthe rib 9 and the associated tube 5 from becoming stretched or otherwisedistorted when in operative position in the pump.

It will be appreciated that other reinforcing materials, such as braidedwire or braided cord similar to fishing line, may be used instead of thechain.

In the form shown the tube 5 and the reinforced rib 9 are precurved in asingle plane to permit ready insertion of the rib into the receiving andclamping groove of a twopiece anvil or base segment 12 of the pump asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

When installed in this manner it will be noted that the abutment 10 ofthe rib 9 contacts the associated end of the segment 12, thus assuringproper location of the fluid transporting tube as a whole and preventingaxial displacement thereof in the direction of fluid flow when the pumpis in operation. Since the rib reinforcement 11 is relativelyincompressible, clamping of the segment parts about the rib 9 is muchmore positive than it would be if the rib were not so reinforced.Additionally, since the reinforcement 11 is not stretchable whensubjected to the normal operating forces of the pump and is formedintegrally with the rib 9, the rib will not stretch. Consequentlyundesirable stretching, bunching or other unwanted distortion of thetube 5 during operation of the pump is prevented.

The effectiveness of the abutment 10 may be enhanced by a solid metalball or core 13 covered thereby and secured to the adjacent end of thechain 11. The diameter of the ball 13 should be slightly greater thanthe width of the receiving and clamping groove in the segment 12 toprevent the abutment 10 from being forced into the groove duringoperation of the pump.

Obviously the principles of this invention are applicable to any usewhere it is desired to securely hold a distortable plastic tube inposition such as in a compressible tube fluid pump in which a pluralityof fluid transporting tubes are arranged in spaced parallel relation ina single plane and are progressively compressed by impeller rollersmovable through an orbital path containing a straight line portionoverlying the plane of the tubes.

It is, of course, to be understood that various details of arrangementsand proportions of parts may be modified within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid transporting tube adapted to be secured to a positioningclamp and including a compressible tubular body provided with aradiallyprojecting attaching rib extending longitudinally along at least aportion of the length thereof, an enlarged abutment located at that endof said rib nearest to the fluid intake end of said tube, a flexible,nonstretchable metal chain enclosed by said rib and formed integraltherewith, and a solid internal core positioned within said abutment andattached to the adjacent end of said chain.

2. In a portable self-contained infusion pump having an arcuate basesupporting a compressible tube, a driven rotary element concentric withsaid base, a plurality of impeller rollers operatively carried on theperiphery of said rotary element that are brought into compressingengagement with said tube during rotary element rotation; theimprovement in combination therewith comprising a radially projectingrib integrally attached to and extending longitudinally along at least aportion of the length of said tube, and a reinforcing member enclosedWithin, formed integral With, and extending along substantially the fulllength of said attaching rib.

3. The pump of claim 2 in which the attaching rib is provided with anenlarged abutment located at that end thereof nearest to the fluidintake end of said tube and in which the reinforcing element is flexibleand nonstretchable.

4 4. The pump of claim 3 in which said reinforcing element is a metalchain.

5. The pump of claim 4 additionally including a solid internal corepositioned within said abutment and attached to the adjacent end of saidchain.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,693,766 11/1954 Seyler 1031492,696,173 12/1954 Jensen 103-l49 2,899,906 8/1959 Becher et al 103l492,917,002 12/1959 Mascaro 103149 3,050,013 8/1962 Ketterer l031493,384,080 5/1968 Muller 103l49 3,431,864 3/1969 Jones, Jr. 103--149WILLIAM L. FREEH, Primary Examiner W. J. GOODLIN, Assistant Examiner

